SRC president Lindokuhle Ntuli says, "We've been able to engage with the university to request and demand the university to release and drop the charges against those students who are arrested. And also meet with the students to engage on current matter as a way forward."

The university is expected to hold a general assembly later this week to allow students, staff and management to engage on the students' grievances.

Ntuli said, "Students are being sabotaged, these are peaceful students who have been protesting very peacefully for the last two weeks. The students at the UFS have not even broken a door or a window for the last two weeks."

Meanwhile, 11 University of KwaZulu-Natal students arrested for their involvement in protests at the Pietermaritzburg campus have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance on Thursday.